Golden Age of Detective Fiction

The Hidden Staircase is a classic mystery novel that has captivated readers since its publication in 1930. Written by Carolyn Keene, the book is the second in the Nancy Drew series and follows the adventures of teenage detective Nancy Drew as she tries to uncover the secrets of a haunted mansion.

The story begins when Nancy is approached by her friend, Helen Corning, who seeks her help solving the mystery of her Aunt Rosemary’s “haunted” mansion. The house has had strange occurrences have been happening ever since the great-grandmother, Flora was frightened by an unknown entity. Nancy agrees to investigate the matter and travels to the mansion, where she begins to uncover clues that lead her to believe that there may be someone roaming the house looking for something valuable. During her investigation she finds a secret staircase hidden in the mansion.

To complicate matters for Nancy her father has gone missing! Wild thoughts about what happened to him plague Nancy as she fears he has been kidnapped and harmed by one of his unhappy clients or their angry associates. He disappears for several days and it’s up to Nancy to find her father before he befalls a terrible fate.

The Review

There are several strange anomilies in The Hidden Staircase, such as Nancy’s hair turning from blonde in The Secret of the old Clock to the Hidden Staircase (maybe she colored her hair?) and her car changes models as well. The Drew’s are pretty wealthy, but I don’t think she has two cars to herself in 1930. I think these niggly mistakes are indicative of the fact that while Nancy was popular, she wasn’t a fully formed character, and while Carolyn Keene is credited as writing this novel, this book may have had parts written by others in the syndicate that wrote the series.

Nancy is incredibly inquisitive and self-reliant in The Hidden Staircase and her triumverant of friends and her boyfriend Ned haven’t been added as staple features yet. She is primarily investigating on her own without even the support of her father who she idolizes.

However, her social side is further developed, she goes on a date and her long lasting friendship with Helen Corning, who is reprised in other books, most noticbly The Mystery at Lilac Inn, later in the series. Helen, while an steadfast friend does not really assist Nancy in her investigation and the older who live in the mansion are too frightened to help. Nancy, is further emphasised as different from her peers and breaking gender norms, by their inaction. I think her “specialness” is a little overindulged and I like that in later books she is refined as being an exceptional leader and organizer who steers a wide variety of people in her investigations.

As a teenage detective, Nancy is a strong, independent, and intelligent character who is not afraid to take risks and go against the status quo. She is a role model for young readers, and her ability to solve the mystery using her wits and intelligence is a great example of the power of critical thinking.

I was surprised at how much of the book took place at the haunted mansion, there was some good suspenceful sequences and some scary (for children) moments which range from going down a totally creepy dark staircase to hearing some truly terrifying noises made by a possible foe.

Another strength of the book is the way that it handles the theme of fear. The fear of the dark, the fear of the unknown or unexplained, and the fear of being without one’s parents are all faced in The Hidden Staircase.The fear is used to build tension and suspense, but it is never gratuitous, and it never overwhelms the story or the heroine.

One drawback of The Hidden Staircase is how little time is devoted to Nancy trying to find her father, which I think would have been the main story in other books. While she is deeply concerened about her father’s whereabouts, Nancy is more preoccupied with trying to solve the haunting, and motoring around in her roadster, which doesn’t seem to gel with her overall personality at all.

The Hidden Staircase is a classic mystery novel that has stood the test of time. The engaging characters, detailed setting, and well-crafted plot make it a great read for readers of all ages. The story is both exciting and thought-provoking, and the character of Nancy Drew is a wonderful role model for young readers. It is no wonder that this book has been adapted into numerous films and television shows over the years, cementing its place as a beloved classic. You can buy a copy of this book from Amazon here.